By Diane Krauthamer and Thomas Good

January 23, 2010

NEW YORK — “To show solidarity with our fellow workers and send a clear message to the bosses that we stand united against all forms of slavery,” the New York City branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) held its third annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day rally at the Union Square East Starbucks on January 18.

The union, joined by dozens of workers, community members and labor allies, called on the multibillion dollar company to commemorate Dr. King on this federal holiday by paying a holiday premium of time-and-a-half pay to baristas, just as the Seattle-based chain does for its baristas on five other federal holidays.

To press their demands for recognition of MLK Day, the “Wobblies” and their supporters gathered outside the Union Square East Starbucks at Noon as the sun began to break through the cloud cover.

A tall man with a booming voice stepped up and addressed his sisters and brothers.

 This speech was given on MLK Day in front of the Union Sq. East Starbucks in New York City by Union Barista and Organizer, Liberte Locke.

"Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
Everyone!  Thank you for coming out today to honor Dr. King's legacy by
supporting workers struggling for change at their jobs.  Today we are
out in front of my store.  I've worked at Starbucks for over 3 years
and most of that time have worked alongside my coworkers, here and
throughout the U.S. and Canada, in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union for
better wages, more consistent scheduling, better working condition, and
especially more respect on the job.  We have made serious strides, in
the five years of existence, we have gotten 3 pay increases in New York
City and have had many individual grievances with management worked out in
the favor of the workers.  Though we still have a long battle ahead. 


    In Dr. King's last days, in the midst of fighting injustice on
many fronts, he went to Memphis, Tennessee.  Many remember that but
what most folks fail to remember is why exactly he was in Memphis to
begin with.  Dr. King went to Memphis to support 1,100 black sanitation
workers that had gone on strike for job safety, better wages and
benefits, and union recognition.

    So when the CEO of one of the biggest union busting companies in
the world, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, has the nerve to say that Dr.
King would quote "be proud of what we are able to provide people all
over the world, everyday" end quote, one has to laugh.


    What are we providing, Howard? Overpriced coffee that has
turned into a mass status symbol.  That white and green cup alluring
people into thousands of Starbucks everyday and robbing them of their
hard-earned cash with deceptive promises of using their money for
socially responsible means.  Howard wants customers to believe that Dr.
King would have loved Starbucks.  Howard wants you to believe that even
though the vast majority of coffee that Starbucks sells isn't fairly
traded, that the farmers are treated well regardless.  They also want
you to believe that baristas are given high wages, excellent benefits,
and treated like royalty.


    In the Starbucks Workers Union we found through a delegation to
a coffee farm in Ethiopia that was growing Starbucks coffee, that
farmers are not well compensated for their labor.  Farmers were
disgusted to learn that Starbucks was telling the world about how well
they were paid when entire families were living in poverty.  And as for
baristas, the majority of Starbucks baristas in the U.S. are making
minimum wage.  And in Santiago, Chile - where another union for
Starbucks Baristas began last year, baristas are making less in one
hour than they are selling a small cappucino for in their stores. 
While Howard Schultz gave himself a $1.3 Million dollar raise and
raised drink prices drastically, the company made deeper cuts on labor
hours as a "thank you" for our hard labor that is responsible for
keeping this company afloat.  People always say, 'at least you have
benefits'...well, Starbucks insures less of it's workforce than often
criticized Walmart.  And in order to recieve benefits we must pay large
out of pocket fees and high deductibles and that's if we are given
enough hours to qualify and with the slashing of hours, many workers
have lost their health insurance. 


    Also, why are workers the first to be told that they should
live in silent gratitude for the scraps that are thrown our way?  While
CEOs and Executives live the high life on what I consider our stolen
wages.  Howard Schultz was already worth $1.9 Billion dollars before
getting his million dollar raise while his workers struggle to
survive.  The only explanation for that is simply greed. 


    I do not wish to put words into Dr. King's mouth but I'm fairly
confident that Dr. King would not be proud of what you are doing
Howard.  King lost his life while in Memphis supporting workers that
were organizing a union.  King fought on the side of the poor and
disenfranchised his entire life and I seriously doubt he would have
been proud of a company that has spent millions in an effort to squash
it's employees' right to organize.  Workers at Starbucks have been
fighting to unionize for many years and in many countries.  And without
fail, each and every time, workers have been met with mass firings,
shop closings, illegal interrogation, spying on union supporters,
violating various labor laws, and illegal retaliation.  Starbucks would
rather spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on union busting law
firms like Akin Gump to fight in court over whether or not workers
should be allowed their legal right to wearing union pins on the job,
or post union-related fliers up at work, or engage in legally protected
work stoppages in support of a picket - than to raise our wages,
restore our eroding benefits, make health insurance more affordable,
and treat workers with respect.


    We are asking for time and a half pay for workers that must work on MLK Day
at Starbucks.  Something they already do for 5 other holidays.  We are
asking this because it's the right thing to do.  It would put a little
more money in the pocket of broke baristas but also send the message
that Dr. King and his legacy are not forgotten. 


    We, in the union, honor Dr. King's legacy everyday by refusing
to live in poverty because of corporate greed.  We are one collective
voice that can not be silenced - no matter how loudly the corporate
giant grumbles."